December 18, 2009
No Refunds
Excerpt from Hebrews 10:32-39
" . . . you cheerfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves possessed something better and more lasting."
Reflection by Christina Villa
In a long checkout line at the Gap, I was right behind a very nicely-dressed woman carrying bags from the expensive department stores at the mall. She was arguing, loudly and abusively, with the teenaged cashier about a refund she erroneously believed she was entitled to. The people in line were at first shocked into silence by the spectacle, but soon began heckling the woman, who spat nastily right back at them. Finally a manager appeared and gave the woman her refund -- clearly to get rid of her. With relief, the cashier handed the woman a receipt and said, "That's $11.77 back on your Master Card."
$11.77. I had figured this was a scene worthy of at least $50. I wonder how much happiness that $11.77 bought her. If I needed a reminder this Christmas season to focus less on buying gifts and worrying about money, this lady had just provided it.
Nobody likes being deprived of what they think they have coming to them. I don't know anyone who would cheerfully accept the plundering of their possessions, as today's scripture puts it. On the other hand, maybe most of us would cheerfully accept our possessions being plundered -- if it were the only way we could hang on to "something better and more lasting." For most of us, what is better and more lasting are things like our faith, our family, the people in our lives, the relationships we have them, all of the above. When these things are lost or plundered, it's very difficult to get a refund.
Prayer
Dear God, please keep me out of the lines at the mall, watch over the cashiers and sales people who are stuck in the stores this entire holy season, and check on that lady who got her money back at the Gap. Amen.
No Refunds
Excerpt from Hebrews 10:32-39
" . . . you cheerfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves possessed something better and more lasting."
Reflection by Christina Villa
In a long checkout line at the Gap, I was right behind a very nicely-dressed woman carrying bags from the expensive department stores at the mall. She was arguing, loudly and abusively, with the teenaged cashier about a refund she erroneously believed she was entitled to. The people in line were at first shocked into silence by the spectacle, but soon began heckling the woman, who spat nastily right back at them. Finally a manager appeared and gave the woman her refund -- clearly to get rid of her. With relief, the cashier handed the woman a receipt and said, "That's $11.77 back on your Master Card."
$11.77. I had figured this was a scene worthy of at least $50. I wonder how much happiness that $11.77 bought her. If I needed a reminder this Christmas season to focus less on buying gifts and worrying about money, this lady had just provided it.
Nobody likes being deprived of what they think they have coming to them. I don't know anyone who would cheerfully accept the plundering of their possessions, as today's scripture puts it. On the other hand, maybe most of us would cheerfully accept our possessions being plundered -- if it were the only way we could hang on to "something better and more lasting." For most of us, what is better and more lasting are things like our faith, our family, the people in our lives, the relationships we have them, all of the above. When these things are lost or plundered, it's very difficult to get a refund.
Prayer
Dear God, please keep me out of the lines at the mall, watch over the cashiers and sales people who are stuck in the stores this entire holy season, and check on that lady who got her money back at the Gap. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment